despite the aches and pains

I abused my body on Saturday. We're talking big time abuse. I'll post a picture for two reasons: so you can see why my arms, legs, and abs are screaming at me, and so I can post another picture of my disgusting body to help remind me that I need to run.


Yup, that's a fat blob on a slip-n-slide. All kinds of aches and pains come from that kind of fun. Oh the sacrifices I make for my kid.

Anyway, even though I was unable to climb stairs today due to my screaming left thigh, and even though my abs hate me, and even though my upper arms are asking to be amputated, I "ran."

Distance: 3.06 miles
Time: 42'20"
Average: 13'48" per mile

I have completed 14 runs for a total of 30.08 miles. My average pace is 12'55" per mile.

Yes, my average pace has decreased in the overall picture, but it will ameliorate. Just give me some time. I'm still in the beginning phase of training.

After my run, some random female's voice on my iPod said, "Hi this is Joyce somebodyorother. Congratulations! That was your longest run to date." And that's just another reason why I heart my Nike+iPod; it gives me random encouragement.

ugh tonight sucked

Honestly. I have so little confidence in myself right now. It was a brutal run. And I'm feeling really discouraged, like setting the goal of that 13K in October is absolutely impossible. I know I'm probably just being totally unrealistic with my expectations of what I should be able to accomplish, but I'm discouraged and disgusted with myself.

That being said, I ran more tonight than I did last night. But when I walked, my pace was much slower than last night's walking pace. In fact, I had a really, really hard time keeping my pace above a 15 minute mile. Yet even as I tried to coax more oomph out of myself, I just couldn't do it. I'm tired.

Tomorrow, I get the night off. And probably Saturday night, too. But I'm back on for Sunday. Whether I like it or not. And maybe my body will be rested for Sunday's run.

Distance: 2.46 miles
Time: 33'02"
Average: 13'25" per mile

I have completed 13 runs for a total of 27.01 miles. My average pace is 12'49" per mile.

I just have to keep telling myself that I really want to do the 13K and that I can do it.

Meanwhile, the Nike+ website is really cool. Back on May 15th, I set a goal for myself on the site to run six miles in four weeks. I achieved that goal tonight! Go me! Hell, I achieved that goal this week, so clearly I should have set the goal higher. It gave me a gold medal for my efforts. I'm all about the imaginary gold medal!

I have it set up to help me train for the 13K. I'm currently 4 miles behind where the training says I should be. That does not help the belief in myself at all. Maybe I don't get tomorrow night off after all.

random encouragement!

On my first lap of my pathetic attempt at a run tonight, a neighbor I have not yet met was in his convertible BMW waiting for his garage door to open as I walked in front of his vehicle. He said to me, "you're doing great! Keep up the good work!" I said, "thank you!" And it about made my night! Random encouragement is awesome!

I was out there much, much earlier than I like. It was still very much day light and ridiculously hot outside. As such, after my second lap of the neighborhood, I was just too wiped out to do a third lap. I hit two miles and called it done. I had to get out early, though, because tonight is poker night, and if I don't "run" before poker night, I won't run at all as it'll be far too late at night to go run. So, here it is:

Distance: 2.07 miles
Time: 27'21"
Average: 13'12" per mile

I have completed 12 runs for a total of 24.55 miles. My average pace is 12'45" per mile.

Considering I hardly ran at all tonight (combination of the bloody heat and my body being tired still from last night's "run"), I think that I kept a pretty respectable pace.

I'll take Fridays off. But that's the only real scheduling decision I have made so far about this. I am going to do no less than 2 miles per "run". And in two weeks, I'll hopefully be able to up that number.

I "ran" two nights in a row! Go me!

so there's this race coming up

I want to run in the Tower of Terror 13K on October 25th. I am terribly out of shape, as we can all see anytime I post a picture. The most I have ever run is a 5K. That was in February. 2007. So, yeah, I have my work cut out for me. I figure I need to run almost every day if I plan to be ready to not place last in the 13K on October 25th. That's five months away. I can do it.

Tonight's run:

Distance: 2.86 miles
Time: 37'12"
Average: 12'58" per mile

I have completed 11 runs for a total of 22.48 miles. My average pace is 12'43" per mile.

It's a start. Go me! I'm totally going to be up for a 13K in five months! Please cheer me on, as I suffer from low self-esteem and motivation.

moving

So, I also punched the punching bag 300 times with each fist the other night. And then my arms and shoulders hurt the next day, so that's good.

Meanwhile, today we visited both amusement parks at Universal today. Two hours, two parks, zero rides. But it was a good brisk walk. And, I'm tired.

I'd like to think I'm going to try to run tonight, but the theme parks were kinda harsh (wrong shoes).

pathetic, but at least it's something

I broke out the Nike + iPod tonight. I'm amazed I could even find the two little pieces, given how long it's been since I used either. Anyway, I'm connected to the Nike+ website to upload my "run" information:

This is my 24'21" run
It was only 1.71 miles (two laps around my neighborhood)

I hardly ran at all since I am so ridiculously out of shape. Hello, did you see the picture (from February) that I posted yesterday? That's just not an angle I see myself from.

Since receiving my Nike+ on Christmas 2006, I have only completed 10 runs for a total of 10.61 miles. My average pace is 12'40" per mile.

hey fatso

This is what you look like:

Are you happy with that?

DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.